DIY Kitchens

[PipnPosy]

Just looking for a bit of guidance from anyone who has bought from DIY Kitchens. We really want to use them, have been to the showroom and liked the look/quality of the product and of course the price, but I'm nervous about making mistakes when ordering.

We will have a relatively simple L-shape design that I think I'm happy with; no island but there is a chimney breast to negotiate. I have a builder who will look over the design to OK it for plumbing/electrical issues, but he won't be responsible for my order list.

Has anyone got any tips? Processes to go through to make sure nothing is forgotten? It's all the little things like plinths, coving, can you buy extra pieces of wood to cover the edge if the units don't quite fit the space etc. If we go for a quartz worktop, who would cut that? I would happily pay someone to come and take responsibility for measuring up, checking the design for silly mistakes and ordering for me and wish DIY kitchens would offer that service!

Thanks!

I just drew it out on squared paper - one floor plan and one picture of what it would like when facing it. Then I listed all the bits that were needed and checked against the drawings. I also drew a rough plan on the walls of what needed to go where so it would be straightforward for the fitter. He cut the worktops too though they weren't quartz. We ordered extra wood to cover gaps (necessary because we don't have any straight walls in our kitchen) and they come in the same colour as the cabinets.

I found the ordering pretty straightforward and quite liked the planning - the problem with DIY Kitchens was the delivery as they were shite and turned up a day late with no notice / excuse / compensation. Nada.

Thanks!

Haha, yes I have been drawing on the walls as well. It's really helped me visualise the space. Luckily we are moving the kitchen to the current dining room (which we barely use) so I can order everything quite a way in advance and store it in there (if I ever manage to get the stuff ordered...)

I guess it's just a case of measuring twice and checking lists a few times over.

We are about to order from DIY. We originally got a design from a local company and I just sent that to DIY to quote from so I am hoping that we will get all the filler bits we need but I'm worried about that too.

My friend recently got her kitchen from DIY and said they were really helpful on the phone.

Don't DIY cut the quartz based on your plans?

Oh that's helpful. So DIY will actually quote from your design? I have no idea about worktops yet really. We've only ever had laminate in the past but want something different this time and can imagine that a few mm mismeasuring might cause issues.

We are only about an hour from the showroom so maybe it would be worth going down there for some advice/help ordering, once I've nailed the design. Does anyone know if they do appointment slots??

I too agonised over this with DIY - I've just placed my order so not received my kitchen yet. I made a further trip to the showroom and a lovely guy there helped me go through it all and double check I had ordered everything from my plan. He then calculated all the extra bit like end panels and plinths for me. Overall, I have found them to be super helpful with all my annoying questions!

We had planned to get a silestone worktop from a local supplier but they don't have the colour I want it stock. I was going to see if I could get something similar along with units from DIY. You're right though, the worktops are costing almost as much as the units and it would be awful if they were a few mm out. I imagine it would be better if they could make a template once the units are in but I am no expert!

Fantastic, thanks for your help everyone. It seems another trip (or two) to the showroom will be in order.

We got a kitchen from DIY last year. We got a kitchen fitter to measure up and advise us in our rough plan, then sent that to them. It all fitted to the mm and we are really impressed.

Was that a high street kitchen type of place or an independent fitter Equimum? And did they fit it for you too then? Maybe my builder (who will fit it) would measure up precisely for me. I'm slightly befuddled with the measurements as the skirtings are Victorian and very wide and the walls need reskimming so that'll be a few mm difference too.

DIY Kitchens are great, a lot of choice and open pricing so you can see what all the individual bits actually cost. The do have a paper pdf planner that you can download to help position the units that are available. Pretty simple really, just remember to factor in the corner posts and the rest is pretty simple. Their advice section covers all that though. Hope this helps.

Thanks Ramona. I've got the pdf planner and it's great to hear good reviews to give me confidence in DIY K.